Face mask or bandage.



L. A. SMITH.

PAGE MASK 0R BANDAGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 27, 1910.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

LUCIUS ANTON SMITH, OF KANSAS CITY,- MISSOURI.

. FACE MASK OR BANDAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 19 11.

Application filed Deeember 27, '1910. Serial No. 599,807.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIUS ANTON SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Face Masks or Bandages, of which the following is a specification;

My present invention has to do with face masks or bandages such as are designed to be saturated with hot water and used precedent to shaving with a view to softening the beard and rendering the shaving operation easy and complete.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an absorbent face mask or bandage in the form of a sack, and adapted by reason of said form to be expeditiously and thoroughly saturated with hot water and also adapted to snugly receive the chin and the lower portion of the face and fit close against the same as well as against the side portions of the face so as to efliciently soak the beard and beard-bearing portion of the face with hot water for the purpose stated.

Another object is the provisionin combination with the sack-like mask or bandage, of a bail-shaped holder through the medium of which the said mask or bandage may be expeditiously and easily saturated with hot water and applied to and held against the face.

Another object is the provision of an adjustable connection between the mask or bandage and the holder, whereby the device can be fitted to headsof various sizes,

as when the holder is to be swung up over the head and used as a means to suspend and fasten the mask or bandage in position.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration 50f one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be'more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, which are hereby made a part hereof: Figure 1 is a perspective showing by full lines the manner in which the sack-like mask or bandage is applied and held to the face through the medium of the holder disposed below the mask or bandage, and also showing bydotted lines the use of the holder on the head to suspend and fasten the mask or bandage in close contact with face. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device per se. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of one of the fastener members on the mask or banda e.- Fi 5 is a detail view of a port1on of t e mas or bandage. Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken through one of the fastener members on the mask or bandage.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which: A is the mask or bandage comprised in my novel device, and B is the holder. The mask or bandage is made of textile or other suitable absorbent material in the form of a sack that is of a much greater length than width, is gradually reduced in depth from its transverse median line to its ends, and 1s provided with concave upper edges.

By virtue of the mask or bandage being of the sack form described, it will be manifest that Whensaid mask or bandage is dipped in a body of hot water or is filled with hot water from a spigot, it will temporarily hold a portion of the water and. will be thoroughly saturated thereby; also, that the excess water will gather in the lower transverse central portion' of the sack from whence it can be quickly and easily emptied or expressed by squeezing said portion after the manner of a teat. It will further be manifest that the sack-like mask or bandage is materially advantageous inasmuch as it is adapted to snugly receive-gthe chin and lower portion of the face up to the nose, or up to the mouth, as desired, and closely fit the same as well as the side portions of the face, and may therefore be conveniently held in position by hand even when the holder B is not employed.

The,holder B may be of any construction and material consonant with the purpose of.

my invention without involving departure from the scope of the invention as claimed. I prefer, however, to make the holder B of metal and preferably, though not necessarily, provided with a handle a. The end portions of the bandage A and the holder may be connected in any manner agreeable to the purpose of the invention without involving departure from the claims. I prefer, however, to effect the connection in such manner that the sack can swing in the holder or the holder can be swung on the sack, since when this is done the holder can be used to suspend the sack in a body of hot water, and then the sack can be restored to a pendent position in the holder to be applied by the latter to the face, or, on the other hand,

after the sack is applied to the face, the holder can be swung up over the head, as

I shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to suspend and fasten the sack in close contact with the face.

In the preferred specific construction, thethestuds c adjacent the inner sides of the end portions 'of the holder, for a purpose a that will presently appear.

For cooperation with the headed studs 0 of holder B, the sack or sack-like mask or bandage A is provided 'onits outer side and adjacent its ends with fastener members 0,

referably of metal. These fastener members C have key-hole slots f arranged one above the other, exterior protuberances 'g in which the reduced-portions of the slots f are formed, Figs. 3 and 4, and interior protuberances h each of which is arranged opposite one slot as a whole and is therefore also arranged opposite one of the exterior protuberances g.

. By preference, and as best shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the slots f are formed in and the protuberances g are formed on a plate i, while the protuberances" h are formed on a 1 second plate 1', arranged alongside of and suitably fixed to the plate 6; the said connected plates bein designed to' be connected to the sack A y stitches orother suitable means, and the fastener members, by reason of their peculiar construction, being designed when laundrying of'the sack A is deemed necessary, tolpass through wringers or the like without being injured. It will alsobe manifest that by reason of the construction of the fastener members C, the heads of the studs 0 can be readily placed in and removed from the key-hole slots fwhen the spring strips d are pressed inward, and that when the heads e of the studs 0 are in protuberances g of the members C, and the spring strips d are released, the said spring strips will operate to draw the heads e into the protuberances g,-and consequently will preclude casual disconnection of the members C from the studs 0. While this is so, it will be noticed that the protuberances g of the members C will hold the plates of the members in spaced relation to the holder B, and that therefore the sack A can bereadily swung in the holder, as when it is desired to have the sack depend from the holder when the former is to be immersed in hot water,

or the holder can be swung up on the sack to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, as when it is desired to use the holder to suspend the sack and fasten the same in position on the face. To detach the fastener members C from the holder, 1t 1s simply necessary to press the spring strips d' of the latter inward, so as to transfer the stud heads 6 from the protuberances 9 into the protuberances h, and then move the members G endwise until the stud heads 6 are opposite the enlarged portions of the slots f when the fastener members may obviously be expeditiously and easily removed from thestuds c.

As will be readily appreciated, the plu-.

rality of slots f, protuberances g and protuberances h in each member 0, adapt the sack A to be adjusted relative to the holder B so as to permit of the device as a whole being readily fitted to faces and heads of different sizes.

In the practical use of my novel device, the sack or sack-like mask or bandage is saturated withhot water in suitable manner, and is then applied to the face so that the chin and lower portion of the face up to the nose are snugly received in the sack, and the end portions of the sack rest close against the sides of the face. The sack is applied and held to the face by hand, or through the medium of the holder, see full lines in Fig. 1, or the holder is swung up over the head so as to suspend and fasten the sack in close contact to the face for the purpose stated while the user is stropping his razor or making other preparations to shave. When desired the mask may be made so as to extend up to the 'mouth only of the wearer in front.

Experience has demonstrated that the application of hot water in the manner described to the beard-bearing portion of the face before shaving, softens the beard and renders the shaving operation easy as well as assures a clean or thorough shave.

While I .have shown and described one form of my invention, it is to be understood that I am not limited to the details or the form or relative arrangement of parts 4 disclosed, but that modifications may be made therein, without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters-Patent, 1s:

1. Ina device for the purpose described, the combination of a bail-shaped holder adapted to be held in the hand with its end portions uppermost, and a face-shaped sack connected adjacent its ends to the end portions of the holder and depending in and extending lengthwise of the holder.

2. In a device for the purpose described, the combination with a bail-shaped holder, of a face-shaped sack, o fabsorbent material, arranged within the holder and having its end portions pivotally connected with the end portions of the holder, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a device for the purpose described, thecombination with a bail-shaped holder, of a face-shaped'sack,.of absorbent material, arranged Within the holder and having its end portions pivotally and adjustably connected with the end portions of the holder,

whereby one element isadapted to swing with respect to the other, and one may be adjusted relative to the other to fit the device to faces and heads of diiferent sizes.

'4. In a device for the purpose described, the combination with a bail-shaped holder, of a faceshaped sack, arranged Within the holder and having its end portions pivotally and detachably' and adjustably connected with the end ortions of the holder, for the purposes set orth. I

5. In a device for the purpose described, the combination with a bail-shaped holder having transverse apertures adjacent its ends and also having spring strips on its outer sides and studs carried by said strips of the slots are formed, and interior protuberances arranged opposite the slots and exterior protuberances.

- 6. In a device for the urpose described, the combination with -a ail-shaped holder having transverse apertures adjacent its ends and also having spring strips on its outer sides and studs carried by said strips and extending loosely through said apertures and headed at their inner ends, of a mask or bandage arranged in the holder, and fastener members carried by said mask or bandage, each of said fastener members having a plurality of key-hole slots and also having exterior protuberances in which the reduced portions of the slots are formed, and interior protuberances arranged opposite the slots and exterior protuberances.

7. As a new article of manufacture, bailshaped holder having transverse apertures adjacent its ends and also having spring strips on its outer sides and studs carried by said strips and extending loosely through said apertures and headed at their inner ends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LUCIUS ANTON SMITH. Witnesses:

H. E. WALTON, CLAY H. ALEXANDER. 

